Lecture

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Medical Optics and Lasers

Optical methods based on interactions of light with
matter (biological sample)
Basic Principles
Absorption
Scattering
Multiple scattering/Diffusion
Single scattering

Fluorescence
Microscopy
Optical Coherence Tomography
Photodynamic therapy

Light as a wave
wavelength (meters)
Period

2
propagation vector(converts distance to angle)

period (sec onds )

k

1 c
frequency (cycles / s or Hz )

2
2
angular frequency (converts time to angl

time

z , t o cost kz

Phase==t-kz

Monochromatic (only one

wavelength/frequency)
waves traveling in phase
Monochromatic (only one
wavelength/frequency)
waves traveling out of phase

Matter: Basic principles

The basic unit of matter is the atom
Atoms consist of a nucleus surrounded by
electron(s)
It is impossible to know exactly both the
location and velocity of a particle at the
same time
Describe the probability of finding a
particle within a given space in terms of a
wave function,

Atomic orbitals: Quantum numbers

Principal quantum number, n
Has integral values of 1,2,3 and is related to size and energy of the orbital

Angular quantum number, l

Can have values of 0 to n-1 for each value of n and relates to the angular
momentum of the electron in an orbital; it defines the shape of the orbital

Magnetic quantum number, ml

Can have integral values between l and - l, including zero and relates to the
orientation in space of the angular momentum.

Electron spin quantum number, ms

This quantum number only has two values: and and relates to spin
orientation

Principles of laser operation

Stimulated emission
Population inversion
Laser cavity
Main components
Gain and logarithmic losses
Two vs. three vs. four-level systems
Properties of laser light
Homojunction/heterojunction semiconductor
lasers

Cell and Tissue basics

Basic components of a cell

Nucleus
Mitochondria
Lysosomes
ER
Golgi

Basic components of epithelial tissues

Types of epithelia
Connective tissue
Basement membrane

Which optical method to use?

Three main questions:
What is the required depth of penetration?
What is the acceptable resolution?
What type of information is needed?

Imaging methods
Resolution (log)
Diffuse optical tomography and
spectroscopy

1 mm

100 m

OCT

10 m

1 m

Confocal/multi-photon
microscopy
Standard
microsc

100 nm

Penetration depth (log)

4-Pi/STED

1 m

10 m

100 m

1 mm

1 cm

10 cm

Diffuse optical tomography and

spectroscopy
Applications
Breast cancer detection
Brain function
Oxygen consumption by muscles
Arthritis
atherosclerosis
Pulse oximeter
Jauntice (billirubin) test for neonates

Light scattering spectroscopy

Cancer detection
Detection of pre-cancerous changes
Barretts esophagus
Uterine cervix
Oral cancers

Biopsy guidance
Non-invasive patient monitoring

Optical coherence tomography

Non-invasive detection of morphological
changes
Applications
Cancer detection
Eye diseases
Atherosclerosis
Developmental biology

Raman scattering
Applications
Atherosclerosis
Cancer detection
Blood composition
Bacterial detection

Tissue fluorescence
Applications
Cancer detection
Pre-cancer detection
Guide to biopsy
Patient monitoring

Atherosclerosis detection
Bacterial infection (?)

Microscopy
Cell microscopy
Understand basic cell functions in healthy and
disease states
Understand role of specific proteins and cell
component interactions

Tissue/intravital microscopy
Understand cell matrix interactions that govern
disease development, progression and regression

Drug/therapy development and optimization

Early detection

Multi-modality optical detection

Goal: Acquire morphological and
biochemical information to achieve more
sensitive/specific detection
Combined use of fluorescence, diffuse
reflectance and light scattering
Combined use of Raman and fluorescence
Combined use of OCT and fluorescence
Combined use of reflectance and
fluorescence imaging

Photodynamic therapy
Example of light-based therapeutic
method
Light used to achieve cytotoxicity
Optical methods can also be used to tailor
dosimetry to patient and monitor/predict
therapeutic efficacy
Used for treating a variety of conditions
from cancer to acne to atherosclerosis